January 25, 2019

For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every vile practice.

We’ve got to check our hearts regularly. It’s too easy to let these things creep in and cause issues. It’s too easy to just go on autopilot and hope things work out in our faith. If we glean anything from this passage in James it should be that jealousy and self-ambitions cannot be allowed to take up residence in our hearts. Where those things exist we find disorder, all manner of drama, bitterness, agendas, and “vile practices.” We’ve got to learn to check our ambitions. We’ve got to learn to focus on something else.

Jesus was the greatest example of this. He gave up his place in heaven for us. He exemplified for us that we cannot become complacent in our faith, we cannot allow self-ambition to dictate our decisions. We’ve got to put on an attitude like Christs. We’ve got to focus on the kingdom, on others, and on obedience, if we want to keep all the drama out.